Chapter 762: The Rescued Death Eater
Chapter 762: The Rescued Death Eater
Despite the late hour, everyone had gathered in the Great Hall at the professors' request, leaving the Common Room behind.
The students huddled together, buzzing with chatter about the recent events.
Although they had remained in their respective Common Rooms as instructed by the professors and had not witnessed the occurrences within the castle, they were well aware of the commotion.
For instance, those near the Tower, such as the Ravenclaws, had clearly heard the explosions and roars.
Additionally, Gryffindors, through their windows, had seen the bright flames and the Dark Mark floating above the castle.
News of these events spread at an astonishing speed among the students.
Within less than twenty minutes, the entire Great Hall was abuzz with the news of Death Eaters attacking Hogwarts.
An unprecedented sense of panic gripped everyone's hearts. Previously, they had believed Hogwarts to be the safest place, never imagining that Death Eaters would appear within its walls.
The only silver lining was that no one had been harmed; only a Gryffindor had stumbled and fallen while descending the stairs, while everyone else remained unharmed.
Five minutes later, Neville hobbled into the Great Hall and took a seat next to the Gryffindor table.
Everyone was now present.
Dumbledore no longer continued his conversation with Fudge and strode towards the staff table, gazing solemnly at the students below.
"I believe some of you already know what I'm about to say... Indeed, just an hour ago, Death Eaters broke into this castle."
A hum of whispers rippled through the Great Hall.
"Please remain quiet," Dumbledore raised his voice, barely managing to cover the multitude of voices.
"But I must inform you that all Death Eaters have been driven away, and rest assured, as long as I am at this school, such an incident will never happen again."
Under Dumbledore's reassurance, the Great Hall gradually quieted down, transforming into a heart-wrenching silence.
"However, I must emphasize that the current situation is highly tense. To ensure everyone's safety, the curfew will be advanced by two hours. After dinner, no one is allowed to roam freely."
Professor McGonagall, sitting beside him, subconsciously straightened her posture. She had expected this decision to provoke discontent, but surprisingly, everyone seemed to accept it willingly.
The Great Hall remained silent, devoid of any dissenting voices.
"Well, cozy beds await you all. I know your immediate concern is to rest well and prepare for tomorrow's classes, so... Oh, sorry, just a moment longer."
Many students had already risen from their seats, but Dumbledore suddenly spoke, "Here, I award Hufflepuff one hundred points to acknowledge Kyle's bravery during the Death Eater attack... By the way, he saved my life."
In an instant, all eyes turned to Kyle.
"You saved Headmaster Dumbledore?" Cona asked in surprise, "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"Do you think that's possible?" Kyle replied nonchalantly, "If a few Death Eaters could kill Dumbledore, what's the point of Voldemort hiding from him? He might as well change his name to Fluffy or Treelover."
Kyle's words were indeed convincing, and Cona immediately understood... After all, it was Dumbledore.
"But if that's the case, why did the Headmaster say that earlier?"
"Who knows?" Kyle said, unbothered, "Maybe it's just an old wizard's quirky sense of humor."
Regardless, Hufflepuff's additional one hundred points ensured the House Cup was theirs for the year.
To avoid being detained by others, Kyle, with Cona by his side, weaved through the crowd and returned to the Common Room, leaving the Great Hall first.
At this moment, the Hufflepuffs had already begun celebrating their House Cup victory.
It was hard to imagine that the same people who had been anxious moments ago were now excited once again, all because of a House Cup.
As it was the middle of the night, some felt a bit hungry, so they spontaneously headed to the nearby kitchen.
Soon, the tables were filled with various cakes, cookies, meat pies, roasted chicken, puddings, and beverages.
Although Kyle wasn't entirely supportive of their midnight feast, he didn't say anything since it was a rare occasion for everyone to be in such high spirits.
The only issue was that Kyle had to repeatedly explain that he hadn't saved Dumbledore; it was just the Headmaster's playful words, but not many believed him.
This peculiar feast continued until the early hours of the morning. With classes the next day, some of the younger students retired to their dormitories first, followed by the gradual departure of the others.
Kyle had expected Dumbledore to call him to the Headmaster's office, but by the end of the feast, he hadn't received any message.
So, Kyle didn't wait any longer. After a quick wash, he went straight to bed.
...
The following day, the previously chaotic Common Room had been cleaned and restored to its usual order by the house elves.
Because the Room of Requirement class had ended, Kyle's sick note was naturally no longer usable. He waited in the Common Room for a while before heading to the Great Hall for breakfast with Cona.
Along the way, he constantly overheard people discussing last night's events until he entered the Great Hall.
"Did you hear? The Death Eaters returned last night," a senior student said mysteriously.
"Really? How is that possible?" The witch across from him was skeptical. "Last night, Headmaster Dumbledore and the Ministry's Aurors were here. How dare the Death Eaters return?"
"I'm telling the truth," the person said. "The Death Eaters came at dawn. The Headmaster must have been asleep by then, so he wouldn't know."
"That's not right," the witch shook her head. "I heard the professors were in the castle all night. It's impossible that no one noticed."
"Who told you the Death Eaters came to the castle? They went to the Hospital Wing."
"The Hospital Wing?"
"Yes," the person said. "I just came from there, and even the Headmaster went. How could it be fake?"
"Headmaster Dumbledore?"
"Who else? Is there another Headmaster in the school?"
"But..."
"Stop the 'buts.' If you're still curious, you can check with Professor Snape during class. He was injured by the Death Eaters."
Soon, the two moved away, but their conversation caught Kyle's attention.
The Death Eaters returned?
To be honest, Kyle didn't believe it.
There were only two Death Eaters who escaped last night. Kyle wasn't sure about Morris Orean, but Antonin Dolohov definitely wouldn't dare to come back.
He was missing a leg, so returning now was no different from seeking death.
Additionally, he didn't seem like the type to sacrifice himself for his companions. If he were, he wouldn't have used Alecto to block the Inferno Charm last night.
So after breakfast, Kyle didn't rush to class. Instead, he made a detour to the Hospital Wing to inquire about the situation.
Many others had the same idea, and the way to the Hospital Wing was crowded with people, but no one could see what had happened.
However, Kyle didn't see Dumbledore in the Hospital Wing. Perhaps he had just left, or maybe that person had mistaken it; he might not have come at all.
In the corner of the Hospital Wing, two beds were covered with thick curtains, and nothing could be seen from the outside...
Hmm, two hospital beds?
Kyle, who had an excuse to get a stimulant, seemed to have thought of something and suddenly stopped in his tracks.
If the curtains concealed Alecto and Malfoy, where was Snape? Was he also inside?
Alecto was a Death Eater with a violent temperament. Even if she was injured, Dumbledore would never leave her alone in the Hospital Wing.
But what about Snape...
Kyle subconsciously glanced at the direction of the curtains again.
Although the curtains were thick, the gap at the bottom revealed that no one was standing inside.
This was interesting. The curtains only covered two beds, corresponding to Alecto and Malfoy. Where was Snape, who was supposed to be watching over them? Could Alecto and Malfoy be lying together...
Hmm? Actually... that's not impossible.
"Don't look around!"
Just as Kyle was thinking, Madam Pomfrey interrupted him and impatiently stuffed a bottle of stimulant into his hand.
"Today, everyone is here for stimulants..." She looked at the queue and muttered, "Don't think I don't know what you're up to. But I must remind you to curb your curiosity and stop asking about everything."
However, her words didn't seem to be heeded, and the queue remained long.
Helpless, Madam Pomfrey simply drove everyone out and moved a table outside the Hospital Wing, not allowing anyone else to enter.
On the other side, Kyle, who had obtained the stimulant, had already returned to the castle.
Based on the available information, it can be inferred that something definitely happened in the Hospital Wing last night, but Kyle wasn't clear on the specifics.
"Kyle..."
Someone interrupted Kyle's thoughts. He looked up and saw Lupin and Tonks.
Lupin had a bandage on his arm, probably injured last night. Tonks was supporting him, making Lupin appear uncomfortable.
"It's really not necessary, Tonks. My arm is injured, but my leg is fine," he said.
But Tonks paid no attention and didn't care about Kyle's gaze.
"Where are you two going?" Kyle pretended not to see Lupin's evasive gaze and asked.
"The Hospital Wing. The Ministry decision has been made to bring Alecto back to the Ministry. We're accompanying Aurors and need to check her condition beforehand," Tonks replied.
"Okay, then go ahead. I'll head back to class," Kyle said, waving goodbye as he walked past them.
Lupin looked at Kyle, wanting to say something but ultimately remained silent.
Harry had already told Sirius Black about last night's events on the tower, and Sirius had informed Kyle.
So when he saw Kyle, Lupin subconsciously wanted to ask about the specifics, but he couldn't find the right words.
The Giant Squid and the Venomous Panther, these creatures were a bit beyond his imagination.
"It's okay, Remus," Tonks said beside him. "Kael will definitely join the Order of the Phoenix after graduation. You can ask him then."
Lupin nodded in agreement, and the two continued walking towards the Hospital Wing.
...
After returning to the castle, Kael went to the third floor for his first Charm class. His arrival surprised everyone in the classroom.
It had been two months since they last saw Kael in the classroom.
But Professor Flitwick remained calm, waving his hand to signal for quiet.
"The Water-Making Spell!" he exclaimed. "A very important spell, not particularly difficult, but it tests the overall ability of a wizard. It's the most frequently appearing spell in the N.E.W.T. exams, so I suggest you master it well."
"Everyone remembers the spell, right? Clear as a spring, don't forget it."
Professor Flitwick stood on a platform made of stacked books, loudly explaining the Water-Making Spell while those around him paid little attention. It was a sixth-year Charm, and they had learned it long ago.
In fact, since the start of the seventh year, especially the second half of the year after Christmas, with the N.E.W.T. exams approaching, the professors mainly focused on review and didn't teach new material.
As Professor Flitwick spoke, those around him chatted about their own interests, and the buzzing in the classroom never ceased.
"Did you know? Draco Malfoy took a leave of absence."
Kael heard two Slytherins talking behind him.
"What happened to him?" the other Slytherin asked nonchalantly. "He wasn't attacked by Death Eaters, was he?"
"How could that be? Don't forget who his father is..." The first Slytherin suddenly lowered his voice, and Kael couldn't hear the rest of his words.
"Anyway, he himself is like a Death Eater, and he's a pure-blood. How could he be attacked?"
"Then why did he take a leave?"
"I don't know, maybe he was scared." The person snickered, "Don't forget, he's a Malfoy, the most cunning person in the wizarding world. It's not strange for him to take a leave."
"But the Quidditch Final is coming up, and without our main Seeker, we're sure to lose."
"There's no other way, he's probably already left the school. It's not possible to drag him back, and we're six hundred points behind. Even if he didn't take a leave, we probably wouldn't have won anyway."
"Yeah." The other sighed, "Why don't we have a Firebolt in Slytherin..."
Soon, their conversation turned to Quidditch, and Kael stopped listening.
Regarding Malfoy's leave, he didn't find it strange. After all, Malfoy had already exposed himself last night in the tower...
Wait a moment!
Kael suddenly frowned.
He thought of a possibility—the Death Eaters' midnight attack on the Hospital Wing. Could it have been to rescue Malfoy?
Kael's mind flashed with a scene: In the dead of night, a cloaked wizard broke into the Hospital Wing, attempting to rescue Malfoy from his bed. Snape resisted with all his might but ended up injured due to his inferior strength, and the intruder succeeded.
This also explained why there were only two beds behind the curtain in the Hospital Wing.
As for the identity of this cloaked wizard, there were possibilities—a Death Eater, the real Snape, or even Dumbledore.
Kael's fingers lightly tapped on the table.
Malfoy had already exposed himself, and both Dumbledore and Voldemort knew it. This was the only way to ensure his safety for now.
After all, even if Dumbledore was extremely magnanimous, he would never allow a Death Eater to remain at Hogwarts.
No matter how big-hearted he was, even if he didn't care, Voldemort would.
This time, the Death Eaters suffered heavy losses. If Malfoy faced no punishment, Voldemort, always suspicious, would surely think Malfoy had betrayed him by leaking information to Dumbledore in advance.
For Voldemort, he needed no evidence, just a suspicion, and Malfoy would be doomed... He was already in his sixth year and couldn't hide in Hogwarts forever.
Being rescued from Hogwarts was undoubtedly the best outcome, and with Snape, a known Death Eater, taking action, everything seemed reasonable.
Furthermore, when he met Lupin and Tonks outside earlier, they only mentioned sending Alecto to the Ministry of Magic and didn't say a word about Malfoys.
"Tsk, tsk." Kael couldn't help but click his tongue.
"What's wrong?" Cona asked beside him, puzzled.
"Nothing." Kael said, "I just feel for Dumbledore."
"Indeed." Cona agreed without hesitation, nodding, "I just saw some Aurors from the Ministry of Magic when I came to class. They looked anxious, like they hadn't rested all night."
"That's normal. With such a big incident, they probably couldn't sleep even if they wanted to."
(End of Chapter)
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